Are you considering investing time, money, and effort into something that will help launch and elevate your career in Project Management? The benefits gained will more than justify your decision to spend your hard-earned money, time, and effort on PRINCE2® certification as it will help you progress up the career ladder and be known as a professional committed to quality.
In this article, we will discuss your career prospects and job opportunities after being certified as either PRINCE2® Foundation or Practitioner or both. It also discusses how these certifications can assist you in furthering your career.
How Does a PRINCE2® Qualification Benefit the Career?
1. It is one of the most popular project management methods in the world
PRINCE2® is a methodology that is widely implemented in various projects across the globe irrespective of size or sector. Acquiring this certification reflects that you have knowledge of PRINCE2® terminologies. It will help you to better communicate and engage with clients and stakeholders as you will become adept at project management language that is commonly spoken around the world.
2. Project Management is becoming a skill that is in demand
According to a survey conducted by AXELOS in 2017 in The Future Project Manager Report, around 76% of the respondents voted that project management will become a basic business skill that will be used by everyone.
The best way to acquire project management skills and knowledge is by getting certified.
3. Being PRINCE2® certified can boost your salary
Project-management certified professionals have salaries much higher than their non-certified counterparts. According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a PRINCE2® Practitioner ranges from $40,000 to $242,000 per year.
4. Become a better project manager by being PRINCE2® certified
PRINCE2® provides the best project management practices that are known to contribute to project success. It describes the optimal approach when it comes to managing
5. PRINCE2® opens the door to global opportunities
PRINCE2® is recognized by many multinational and government organizations, which increases the opportunities for employment in the global market.
6. Being PRINCE2® certified can boost your career
It is an added advantage if you hold a PRINCE2® certification as employers in the UK and Europe prefer candidates with a PRINCE2® qualification, especially in the field of project support or administrator.
7. Become more confident with PRINCE2®
You’ll feel more confident about your work with the certification, which will be reflected in your project role.
8. Gain respect from your peers
PRINCE2® qualification and knowledge will help you become a better project practitioner, gain respect at work, and help your career grow.
Who Should Get PRINCE2® Certified?
Having a PRINCE2® certification will be helpful for the following professionals:
- Project Managers
- Project Engineers
- Software Developers
- Project Executives
- Associate Project Managers
- Software Engineers
How Does the PRINCE2® Certification Help me With Better Job Prospects?
As a project management professional, you will be tasked with huge responsibilities.By being PRINCE2® certified, you can plan, manage, and control the progress of projects in a more efficient and effective manner and ensure that goals are achieved within the deadline.
For candidates who wish to pursue a career in project management, positions such as project analyst and project planner serve as stepping stones to higher positions. These roles help the professional work alongside a project manager and learn in-depth the practical application of project management methods and the steps involved in leading a project to successful completion.
- The role of Project Manager: It is the role of a Project Manager to synchronize resources like money, people, and materials, and deliver products as specified by the customers. The Project Manager is responsible for planning the project, communicating with stakeholders, managing risks and issues, reporting to the senior manager as well as monitoring the progress of the project.
- The role of a Programme Manager: A Project Manager with experience can get promoted to the role of a Programme Manager and is responsible for planning and coordinating multiple projects which are managed by the project manager.
It’s a job that is much in demand and well-paid. It is required that a program manager have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the process of project management, along with the drive and enthusiasm to ensure the execution and completion of projects.
What are the Roles and Responsibilities of a PRINCE2® Qualified Professional?
The major roles and responsibilities are listed below:
1. Corporate or Programme Management: The corporate or program manager is not a part of the project management team and is responsible for naming the executive, and project mandate and describing the different levels of tolerances.
2. Project Board: They are responsible for planning the direction and flow of the process that leads to the success of the project.
3. Project Manager: He is responsible for project management on an everyday basis, while at the same time working within restraints as set out by the project board.
4. Team Members: It is the responsibility of the team members to deliver the required products within the specified expense and time, without affecting the quality of the product.
Job Opportunities for PRINCE2® Certified Professionals
With PRINCE2® certification, you will be able to explore job opportunities from around the globe. This course equips you with the core competencies of project management, which will help you get jobs in various profiles of project management. With a PRINCE2® certification, you can opt for designations such as:
- Project Manager, IT
- Senior Project Manager, IT
- Service Delivery Manager
- Program Manager, IT
- Project Manager, Software Development
- Customer Project Manager
- Technical Project Manager
- Project Management Analyst
- National Senior EQA Scheme Officer
- Service Improvement Manager
- Implementation Project Manager
- Project Delivery Manager
- PRINCE2® Consultant
- Innovation Delivery Manager
PRINCE2® is an essential measure for recruiters who aim to have creative and talented professionals onboard their company.
They believe that a PRINCE2® certified professional is capable of managing any business requirement successfully under pressure. Moreover, most progressive and competitive companies realize the value in training their employees to deliver top-class projects within a proposed deadline, and they consider PRINCE2® as the de-facto benchmark for managing projects efficiently.
How do I Start on my PRINCE2® Certification?
Getting PRINCE2® certified is the best way to get a job in project management. A PRINCE2® certification will definitely increase your chances of landing a project management job, by imparting an additional attribute to your CV.
This will indicate to the employer that you are qualified for the position you are being hired for. As PRINCE2® certifications provide a wealth of project management techniques, you will no longer have to toil hard year after year to gain experience before applying for lucrative job roles in project management. The certification will also make you stand out for a project support role. It will save you a lot of time and energy while pushing your resume to the top of the pile.
On completion of your PRINCE2® certification, you will have the confidence to apply for jobs in the areas of project management. With the certification, you can expect an average salary of around £32,000.
What Jobs can PRINCE2® Certified Professionals Expect Without Job Experience?
Even though a PRINCE2® certification will add credibility to your CV, you may need to gain years of experience within an appropriate technical role relevant to a project management job.
In the above scenario, what gets counted is the individual’s work experience. A university fresher with just a degree and PRINCE2® certification will be highly unlikely to land a role as a project manager unless the job is specific for a graduate.
For professionals who want to move to project management and PRINCE2® certified, their chances depend on their previous job experience. The jobs they can expect depend on each individual’s capabilities.
What additional jobs are there for PRINCE2® certified professionals?
Go for jobs where the employers mention that they consider PRINCE2® certification as an essential qualification criterion for their requirements. However, an employer might even ignore the PRINCE2® criterion if the candidate’s experience fits their job requirements.
What Would you Need to Get Hired for Entry-level Job Roles?
It depends clearly on how you are categorized for an entry-level role. You may believe that getting an entry-level job like Project Administrator is possible just because this requires minimal experience, but please remember, there will be experienced Project Administrators vying for the same role as you. While they might be wanting to use this opportunity to gain more experience or as a means to move to another job role like Project Management, what you need to understand is that there will be some competition even from experienced campaigners when applying for entry-level jobs like Project Administrator.
Getting More Experience with the Aid of PRINCE2® Certifications
Professionals holding the PRINCE2® certification but with no relevant experience in project management are advised to implement the PRINCE2® methodology in their own line of work. Project management can be categorized into two types: Formal and Informal.
Informal project management experience involves professionals gaining experience by watching, interacting, and learning from project managers working in the same company as them. They can observe what they do to work effectively while co-relating with the PRINCE2® knowledge that they have gained. Check if there is an option to get a job role as an assistant or coordinator.
A lack of opportunities will make it tougher for you to gain experience. In such cases, experience and knowledge can be gained by working for or doing pro bono work for charitable organizations or professional bodies. Interacting with the people within these organizations might open up opportunities in project management once they come to know that your skills and expertise are suited for the job role. Be hardworking, that is all!
What kind of job roles open up after gaining experience?
Once PRINCE2® certified professionals gain enough experience in project management, a lot of progressive options open up. Project management skills are useful for not only in project management alone but in other lines of work as well. PRINCE2® certified professionals can either continue along the project management path or utilize their project management experience skills in a more senior executive job role. They can start their own businesses, or turn into contractors; there are endless scopes of career development and chances of getting a better salary.
Enhance your career with best certification for project manager. Acquire the expertise to steer triumphant projects and accomplish your objectives.
PRINCE2® and PMP®: The differences
Although both are based on project management with similar ideas and thought processes, there are some distinct differences between PRINCE2® and PMP®.
Here are the top 10 differences between the above two:
| Differences | PRINCE2® | PMP® |
|---|
| 1 | Where did it originate from?
Who controls and manages it? | UK region
Owned by Axelos, UK | USA
Regulated by PMI, USA. |
| 2 | What it focuses on: | What/ When/ Whom? | How? |
| 3 | Methodology: | Process-based | Knowledge-based |
| 4 | The study material for the examination: | Official manual, “Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2® (2017 Edition) | PMBOK® Guide - Project Management Body of Knowledge Edition 6 along with standards & practice frameworks, available on PMI site |
| 5 | The framework that it relies upon: | Prescriptive: It is based on best practices in the project environment | Descriptive: It is formed with knowledge areas such as scope, schedule, cost, risk, etc. |
| 6 | What structure does it follow? | An integrated set of themes & processes along with 7 mandatory principles | 10 Knowledge areas, which can be referred to in isolation to master a specific project management knowledge |
| 7 | About the project roles: | All the project roles are well defined. | Gives more importance to the role of a project manager. |
| 8 | Certifications: | PRINCE2® offers two levels of certification: | While PMI offers many certifications that relate to other forms of project management, PMP® is the most recognized and popular project management certification.
PMI also offers a basic CAPM certification that covers the foundational understanding of project management. |
| 9 | Well received in regions such as: | The UK, Australia, the majority of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. | USA, Canada, South America, Australia, Africa, Switzerland, the Middle East, and some parts of Asia |
| 10 | Eligibility: | No eligibility criteria for Foundation level.
However, for the Practitioner level,you must have obtained certification on at least one of the following:- PRINCE2® Foundation
- Project Management Professional (PMP®)
- Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
- IPMA Level A (Certified Projects Director)
- IPMA Level B (Certified Senior Project Manager)
- IPMA Level C (Certified Project Manager)
| The eligibility criteria are mentioned below:
|
| 11 | Cost of Examination | Foundation level: $900
Practitioner level: $1000 (Approximately)
The cost varies according to the region you are taking the examination in | PMI members: $405
Non-PMI members: $555 |
PRINCE2® vs PMP®: Regions that prefer them
PMP® and PRINCE2® are based on and preferred in different regions of the world. PMP® is widely implemented for project management in North and South America, while PRINCE2® is famous in the UK and the rest of Europe. However, both are equally preferred in Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.
| Geographic Region | PRINCE2® | PMP® |
|---|
| United Kingdom | Preferred |
|
| The United States of America |
| Preferred |
| Asia | Equally Preferred | Equally Preferred |
| Europe | Preferred |
|
| Australia | Equally Preferred | Equally Preferred |
| Africa | Equally Preferred | Equally Preferred |
| The Middle East | Equally Preferred | Equally Preferred |
| North America | Preferred | Preferred |
| South America |
| Preferred |
PRINCE2® vs PMP®: Expected salary and job opportunities
Before going for certification, people often wonder which of the credentials; PMP® or PRINCE2®, will offer them better job prospects. Well, to be honest, comparing the two would be rather unfair. In both options, one needs to possess or gain experience in project management to land better jobs with higher pay scales. Both credentials can lead to a bright future in project management. It all depends on the professional and in which part of the world he or she is planning to work.
Here are the different pay scales that PRINCE2® and PMP® professionals can get and the companies that hire them:
| PRINCE2® certified professionals | PMP® certified professionals |
|---|
| Salary range | $ 77,000 to $ 90,000 | $105,000 to $115,000 |
| Hiring companies | TCS, Tech Mahindra, HCL, Fujitsu, Capgemini, Ericsson | Intel, Microsoft, CGI, Dell, L’Oreal, IBM |
The salary structure depends on years of experience and also depends on the job role in project management.
Conclusion
For all the reasons mentioned above, PRINCE2® certifications are the ideal way to kickstart your career in Project Management. PRINCE2® can be tailored to suit any project type at any scale, and will readily integrate into evolving methodologies, like agile. We wish you success in your journey in the Project Management world!
